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turtle ???

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hi! i don't know if you still need answers to your turtle questions....do you? i have a slider turtle and he's 2.5 years old (or at least that is how long i have had him...)
let me know. i am more than happy to share my experience in this area. i think he is very happy, as turtles go...

i'm also state side with 3 baby turtles all under 4" mine are silver dollar sized. i'm also in ohio and i lived in Ypsilanti for a while. :)

you can't purchase a red eared slider or painted turtle from a pet shop under 4". however you can purchase from a breeder a hatchling legally. because those who wrote the laws don't believe impulse buys happen anywhere but pet stores. also pet stores usually only carry those 2 species. (try a local reptile show) however research your species thoroughly, even though a male in the one you want could be smaller by half a foot to a female of the same species. and it's hard to tell gender when they are young.

and the other nice thing about the rep shows, your turtle is going to be way cheaper than the pet store. my 3 babies were half the cost of one res from the pet store. mine are also cooters and stay smaller. with males and females only being an " or 2 different in size.

hibernation: some turtles will NOT hibernate, they just don't naturally. others do. another thing to find out about the species you want. my bf is afraid of the longated sleep. so we got one that doesn't. however they don't just hibernate on their own usually in captivity, and it's also not recommended to let them if they are ill or under weight. and it's alot of work. you have to slowly drop temps, change heat lamp hours and slowly stop feeding them and make sure their system is empty of all food. if not your turtle can die from the food rotting in their system not being digested. on top of this, water turtles some times hybernate in the water, others in dirt, it's pretty hard to figure out what yours is gonna want inside. outside if you have the right set up they can figure it out themselves.

mine stay inside during the colder months/days and every night. however if it's nice out they get to go outside for the day when i'm home. 2 of them freak about this and are super shy and skittish outside. the other, doesn't give a crap where he is. he's in charge. and afraid of nothing. we have a pin set up with a sunken rubbermaid storage box into the ground for a make shift pond.

if you have any other questions about turtles i'd love to help. from a fellow midwester.